DPW: City has $5M state grant for lead service-line replacements; program roll-out and homeowner outreach underway

The city’s Department of Public Works (DPW) told council it has secured roughly $5 million in state grant funding to replace lead water service lines and described rollout plans and homeowner outreach steps.

Grant, scope and timing: DPW staff said the $5 million award was received recently and will be handled via a budget amendment rather than the base FY26 operating budget. Ralph (DPW director) told the council the award had not been in the printed budget packet because the paperwork was finalized after reports were prepared. “That is not in this budget,” he told members; “we actually did not budget that.” Staff said the money will be added through a budget amendment and that planning is underway to schedule replacement work.

How the program will work: DPW staff described a methodical, geography-by-geography approach to confirmation and replacement. Staff said the city has a list of about 22,000 residential addresses in the inventory and is starting with higher-probability neighborhoods (older building stock, records of lead service installation). A DPW staffer explained the notification process: the city will send multiple notices by different methods; if the city makes four attempts by two different means and still cannot gain access, the property can be deemed “uncontrolled” and responsibility for replacement may fall to the homeowner at sale or when required by future legislation.

Owner outreach and verification: Staff described field-level verification steps — a physical inspection, a simple scrape test or visual check at the curb and at the home entry — and said the DPW has a clerk assigned to coordinate notices. Council members suggested enhancing outreach through building inspections and partnerships with local plumbers to identify potential lead lines. DPW staff said they are already coordinating with building inspection, water staff and permit processes to improve verification rates.

Costs and responsibility: Staff said where the city can access lines on the public side and coordinate with homeowners, the city will pay replacement costs. If a homeowner does not respond and the property is later covered by a sale or a new regulation, the homeowner could be responsible for replacement costs. DPW staff and councilors discussed incentives and outreach strategies, including potential permit-based notices, and asked for regular updates on the confirmed list and the pace of replacements.

Speakers - Ralph — DPW director (government) - Guido — Building & Grounds / Parks director (government)

Discussion vs. decision - Discussion: grant receipt, outreach plan, verification and replacement policy, homeowner responsibility when properties are unreachable. - Decision: No council vote on the program was recorded; staff said the grant will be added via budget amendment and that detailed contract awards are forthcoming.

Clarifying details - Grant amount: staff said “we actually did not budget that” and described the award as $5,000,000 (DPW remarks). Staff said the funding will be added by amendment. - Inventory size: DPW reference to a 22,000-address database used for outreach. - Outreach rule: DPW described a business rule where the city will make four attempts by two different means before deeming a property uncontrollable and potentially passing replacement costs to the homeowner.

Searchable_tags:["lead_service_lines","DPW","grant","infrastructure","water_main","service_line_replacement"]